Germany concerned over signs of renewed violence escalation in Karabakh

Berlin is concerned over signs of a renewed escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, German Foreign Ministry Spokesman Martin Schaefer said May 6th, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Germany is greatly concerned regarding the evidence pointing to a new escalation, including a military one, between the parties to the conflict on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh, he said. As the OSCE chairing country, Germany strongly urges both parties to take all steps to avoid a new escalation, Schaefer said.

Schaefer added that Berlin supports the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and its three co-chairs in their efforts to resolve the conflict, Trend reports.

Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.

Three weeks after the new truce between the parties of the conflict the Armenian Armed Forces shelled peaceful Azerbaijani villages and the town of Terter. Two villagers of Chemenli in the Agdam region were killed: Famil Mustafayev and Ali Huseynov. Anar Abdullayev, Zahid Rahimov, Sirdash Kerimov and Ail Mammadov and the resident of Efendi Elnur Mammadov, the resident of Garadagli Elgiz Garayev and resident Zangyushaly Magomedali Imanov were wounded by their neighbors.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.